1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of delivery and dispensing of various liquids used in industrial and commercial applications and, specifically, to dispensing, in the work place, controlled amounts of chemicals, foods, water, etc. which may be delivered in bulk, the consumption of which is usually in small, measured amounts. One significant benefit is that this system also impacts favorably the environmental protection field in that it eliminates the need and cost of the omnipresent disposable aerosol can, the cost of the aerosol propellant and the environmentally adverse pollutant character of propellent and/or used, disposable containers. By employing reusable containers, filling them to proper levels and pressurizing the containers with air, a useful adjunct is provided that eliminates the need for the aerosol disposable container and its attendant problems throughout several industries. The instant invention is therefore a system for upgrading and enhancing current industry delivery practices and provides a viable option for solid waste management.
2. Relevant Art Discussion
Industrial and commercial usage of liquids, particularly cleaning and maintenance products, has increased significantly in recent years. Many users do not have effective inventory control means/methods over these products. The instant invention reduces the effective cost of the chemicals by removing a significant portion of the packaging and delivery cost of the product, as well as removing some of the storage costs of the product inventory. The system also provides an accurate, effective inventory of the product usage with no labor input from the end user or the small business employer. Further, because the system, under control of a single user, can dispense multiple chemicals simultaneously, and does not require efforts of another individual, the productivity of the discrete user is enhanced by minimizing his/her lost time awaiting supplies. Further, as EPA and OSHA requirements for control and monitoring of special product (i.e., products presenting health, environmental, etc. hazards) usage increase, this system will provide an effective means of supporting the user's record-keeping requirements. The invention has found initial acceptance in the automobile servicing market by cost-effectively supplying a variety of cleaning and maintenance liquids to automobile service centers. A concomitant benefit is that it also provides controlled access to the liquids; thus, the system is used to prevent pilferage and unauthorized use of the products from servicing/supply depot through the end user.
Several systems which appear to offer delivery, dispensing or inventory control (product) have been developed. For example, in recent U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,330, there is disclosed a SERVICE VEHICLE WITH DISPENSING SYSTEM (title). Therein, a service vehicle is disclosed in which a material dispensing system is mounted. The dispensing system includes reservoirs, pumps and plumbing necessary for pumping liquid fluids from within/out the reservoirs. Hydraulic motors operate the pumps and there is generally seen in this teaching an apparatus for servicing remotely located machinery and/or off the road vehicles. Although resembling a subsystem of the instant invention, the '330 is silent regarding means for controlled and inventory usage of fluids at a users facility. The instant inventor also avoids hydraulic pump usage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,507 discloses a DISPENSING SYSTEM FOR HANDLING CONSUMABLE TOOLING AND SUPPLIES (title). The '507 teaching concerns a system for dispensing and tracking the use of a plurality of consumable items. The dispenser is provided with a supply of various items to be dispensed by arrangement in a selected pattern. Noteworthy in this disclosure is a program and memory means used to receive and identify data on the user of the machine and the item to be dispensed. The system responds to a request for an item by verifying the authority of the user, generating confirmation of the availability of the requested item and executing the dispensation of the requested item. Inventorying and control data are managed, generated on hard copy and evidence the trackability of the system relative to the dispensed items Delivery subsystems, as well as storage interface therewith are not disclosed.
A self-service gasoline station fuel delivery control and registration system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,899, titled FUEL DELIVERY CONTROL AND REGISTRATION SYSTEM. Herein, there is disclosed a system having a central control unit with a display console, operating keyboard and a master microprocessor module. Separate slave microprocessor modules are employed for the various gasoline pumps for separately controlling the pumps and accumulating the amount of gasoline delivered. Interfacing with the master microprocessor module through a common slave bus means, the slave microprocessor modules furnish operational data regarding the liquid dispensed therefrom. The '899 patent, like the '507 patent is silent as to the methods of delivery and bulk storage of the products. Further, there appears to be no device or control for assuring (particularly in the case of the '507 patent) that diverse liquid products are not mixed, either accidently or inadvertently, or whether these may be, with impunity.
An AIRLOGIC CONTROLLER AND METERING PUMP UNIT FOR AN APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING, PUMPING AND METERING LIQUID CHEMICALS (title) is provided, according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,665, which is designed for bulk storage, handling and transportation of liquid chemicals and for the safe, precise and metered delivery and transfer of liquid chemicals from a source of chemical bulk storage to a place of end use. Essentially, the aforesaid apparatus consists in a depot supply (bulk storage) for a discrete liquid product which is loaded on a palletized container or set of containers and delivered, generally on site, to a place of dispensation. As in previously discussed patents, the '665 disclosure appears to be a relatively simple and uncomplicated system for transferring some discrete chemical liquid from a bulk storage to a metering delivery means. The problems encountered with the mixing of diverse products is not addressed because the scope of the actual teaching appears limited to singular or discrete products. Further, metering of a particular liquid flow does not in and of itself rise to the level of safe, certain and controlled transfer, storage and dispensation as contemplated by the instant invention.
Other dispensing systems have been disclosed in the art such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,227 for a LIQUID CHEMICAL DISPENSING UNIT (title) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,107,777 for a DISPENSING SYSTEM (title). The former consists in a rollabout cart containing an upper and lower bank of pressure sealable storage tanks containing liquid chemicals. It is a dual-manifolded system which is used in conjunction with a gas pressure source for successively feeding chemical, on demand, to coupled sprayers until the last tank is exhausted. Aside from its dispensing capability, it bears no greater relevance to the instant invention than the previously discussed dispensing systems As to the latter, '777, it appears to be the predecessor of '899, discussed earlier. It is relevant in that, in addition to merely dispensing fuel at a self-service operation, the operator is afforded switch means for arming (enabling) dispensers for self-service operation and for actuating the system for displaying selective dispenser information. In relation to the instant invention, it shares at least the same deficiencies as the '899 disclosure.
The instant invention was developed primarily with a view toward removing the disposable aerosol spray can from the industrial lexicon. Disposable spray cans for lubricating and cleaning fluids have three major drawbacks:
1) cost of the disposable can, cost of the propellant and the cost of buying chemicals in small quantities;
2) the disposal of the spray can is a problem because there is usually some product left in the can owing to the fact that the tube communicating with the bottom of the can does not reach all of the product and/or the propellant is exhausted before the contents; and
3) some of the propellants used are noxious relative to the ecology.
Reusable spray cans filled from a bulk product supply, pressurized by air, eliminate all three of the above mentioned problems. Systems for providing a comprehensive process for acquiring the reusability facility are not disclosed in the art. The instant system fills an industry-wide need by providing complete facilities, from distributor to user, for transferring, dispensing, controlling and inventorying liquid products of practically any nature. The specific item of this invention which is designated to replace the disposable aerosol can is a portable, air-chargable container, such as is known in the art, having a top filler plug, a (compressed) air fitting and a valved discharge spout or fitting. In operation, the fill plug on the top of the container is first removed. The container is then placed under the proper fill tube of a dispenser of the invention, and a selected fill button is pressed or activated. The container is then filled to the proper (nominal two thirds) fill level. The fill plug is replaced and standard shop air is used to pressurize the container via the compressed air fitting.
Should the container become exhausted of propellant (air) before the product is completely used, the user may recharge it with compressed air. Thus, the container may be used until the product is actually exhausted, and then replenished. As the hereinafter SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION shall disclose, the instant inventor has provided a complete system for supporting the use of a similar portable, air-chargable container which will, at least within the industrial commercial context, eliminate the need for the aerosol can.